Dear Colleague
You may know that the European Network for Canadian Studies (ENCS) the umbrella group for all national and regional Canadian Studies associations in Europe (www.ulb.ac.be/encs-reec) organized a Study Tour called �Thinking Canada�in 2010 and 2011.
The Study Tour was undertaken with the support of the European Commission, which also provides financial support, together with additional funding from the ENCS, its national/regional associations and the students themselves, and benefitted greatly from the very generous in-kind support of federal, provincial and local authorities as well as non-governmental institutions in Canada. Furthermore, in 2011 support was also provided by the Canada-Hungary Educational Foundation and several internship hosting institutions.
The EU-Canada Study Tour and Internship Programme �Thinking Canada�offers students from European Union Member States a unique in-depth experience of Canada and of EU-Canada relations. This is achieved through an intensive four-week programme that begins in Brussels at the European Institutions and then moves to Canada, with study visits in Ottawa, Qu�bec, Montr�al, Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria. Selected students remain in Canada to undertake internships in different institutions
In response to wide publicity by the Canadian Studies associations and Canadian Embassies in Europe as well as European Commission Representations in the EU member states, 360 students applied for the programme in 2011, thirty-two of whom, from twenty-three Member States across the European Union, were selected to take part in the programme. The participants �7 PhD candidates, 19 Master�s students, and the remainder senior level undergraduates �came from a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from economics, business and management and administration through political science, international relations, security and strategic studies, history, sociology and environmental studies to European Studies, North American and Canadian Studies, and the study of languages.
This message is to let you know that the website for the 2012 EU-Canada study tour is now up and can be accessed atwww.thinking-canada.eu.
Please find three attachments with this email:
1. An announcement of the tour �a very general description of the programme �in English and French
2. A poster advertising the tour that can be printed out (ideally in colour) and put up on notice boards, etc.
3. A report on the 2011 tour (also in English and French)
I would be grateful if you could publicise the opportunities in the study tour to your constituent stakeholders, perhaps sending the above materials by e-mail to HEIs, as well as advertising the opportunities where appropriate on your websites, using the material as you see fit.
A reminder for associations in countries where the academic year is such that it makes it difficult to attract applicants (the Nordic countries, Ireland, etc.): it would be worthwhile encouraging doctoral candidates to apply, since their schedules are more flexible. Last year almost a quarter of the participants were PhD candidates.
The deadline for applications is rather soon: 30 April but this year there is an on-line application procedure which should streamline the process.
Many thanks
Jordi Curell
